How urgent is ACL surgery?

Can I delay surgery for an ACL tear? In general terms, reconstructive surgery is not urgent and can be delayed to fit around work and personal schedules. During this time, sport and change of direction activities should be avoided.

How quickly should you have ACL surgery?

For a complete tear of the ACL, reconstruction surgery is generally scheduled for between three and six weeks after the injury occurs. This allows inflammation in the area to subside. If surgery is performed too early, patients may develop a profound scarring response called arthrofibrosis.

Can I wait 6 months to have ACL surgery?

A delay of more than six months increases the risk of further damage and degeneration of the involved knee.

Does an ACL tear require immediate surgery?

While complete ACL tears almost always require surgery, partial ACL tears may be treated effectively with nonsurgical methods. ACL tears are graded by severity and are called sprains (a sprain is a stretch or tear in a ligament). A grade 1 ACL sprain occurs when your ACL is overstretched, but not torn.

Is it OK to wait on ACL surgery?

If you wait too long to treat a torn ACL, you're at risk of developing chronic knee pain and knee instability. Waiting to get treatment may mean that surgery is your only option. Or you may need to cope with ongoing instability by modifying your activities and giving up intensive sports.

My ACL Surgery Recovery Journey As a Physiotherapist

How long can I delay ACL surgery?

For patients aged 40 years or younger who planned to undergo reconstruction for a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), delaying the procedure by seven weeks was associated with a lower risk of developing arthrofibrosis, which may ultimately require revision, according to a study from researchers in the department of ...

Is ACL surgery high risk?

And while modern, minimally invasive surgical repairs of the ACL do a good job restoring control of these movements, the risk of re-tear remains higher than we would like, Dr. Gardner explains. In research studies, the risk of re-tear ranges from about 2% to 20%, depending on the patients studied.

Is a torn ACL urgent?

A torn ACL is a significant injury that can require surgery. If you or a person you know may have suffered a torn ACL, seek out your local FastMed Urgent Care immediately.

Should I go to ER for torn ACL?

If you experience any of the following, you've most likely sustained a completely torn ligament and should make a trip to an orthopedic immediate care facility as soon as possible: An audible “pop” at the time of injury. Feeling tearing at the time of injury. Experiencing muscle spasms surrounding the injury site.

Is ACL injury urgent?

See your doctor as soon as you can because you may need an MRI or x-ray so your doctor can see exactly what type of injury that you have. You can treat an ACL injury with ice, rest, and pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. But you may also need physical therapy to get your knee moving normally again.

What to do while waiting for ACL surgery?

What happens if a torn ACL goes untreated?

Without a properly functioning ACL, the other structures of the knee experience greater strain, which causes further injuries to tissues in the knee. It is reported that 80% of patients with an untreated ACL tear go on to develop damage to the cartilage of the knee. This damage can eventually lead to osteoarthritis.

Can I live with a torn ACL?

Can I live a normal life with an ACL tear? Yes, but it may take some time before you're completely back to how you were before the injury. Whether you choose to have surgery or not, with physical therapy you will eventually be back to normal and able to live your life.

Can I walk immediately after ACL surgery?

After 2 to 3 weeks, you should be able to walk without crutches. As well as specific exercises, activities that do not put much weight on your knee may also be recommended, such as swimming for fitness and cycling.

How long are you bed ridden after ACL surgery?

What should I expect for life after ACL surgery? You should expect to recover slowly and reduce your activity to a minimum. You'll be mostly bedridden for the first week or two, so it's important to have a support system in place to help you however you need it.

Is ACL surgery overnight stay?

After surgery, your leg will be wrapped in a bulky dressing, and a drain is left in the knee. A brace is not used routinely. You will stay in hospital overnight.

How do you tell if ACL is torn or sprained?

Can you bend your knee with a torn ACL?

If you're able to put pressure on your hurt leg, you may notice that it's harder than normal to walk. Some people find that the knee joint feels looser than it should. Less range of motion. After you damage your ACL, it's very likely that you won't be able to bend and flex your knee like you normally would.

Should I avoid ACL surgery?

Rehabbing Your Torn ACL Without Surgery. Is it advisable to rehab your torn ACL without surgery? If you're willing to avoid high-impact activity and have no or minor other injuries in your knee, you can consider foregoing surgery. Some people live comfortably with the “no-op” choice.

How many hours is ACL surgery?

The procedure usually takes less than two hours. It will require an incision to remove a tendon if you are undergoing an autograft, in which a tendon from another part of your body is inserted in your knee.

Is ACL surgery considered major?

ACL Reconstruction Is Major Surgery

You're given general anesthesia. This means you're unconscious for the procedure. You'll have pain, swelling and stiffness after the surgery. It can be two or three weeks before you walk without crutches.

Can I do ACL surgery after 2 years?

They say there is evidence the body needs two years to fully recover from reconstructive surgery after an ACL tear. "If you look at the recovery of things like proprioception, sensation of your knee joint, they don't return until about two years after the injury," Hewett said.

How much does ACL surgery cost?

If you have health insurance, it will cost you $800 to $3,000. This cost includes hospital admission fees, post-surgical visits to the doctor, and other expenses that may come along. However, the rest is covered by the insurance company. People without medical coverage have to part with a lot of money.

How painful is ACL surgery?

Most people have some surgery-related pain and discomfort for the first week or so. Not surprisingly, pain from knee surgery decreases with time. By the end of a week or two at the most, you should have very little discomfort. Swelling and bruising are also relatively common, and like discomfort, they're temporary.

Is ACL reconstruction worth it?

ACL reconstruction is generally recommended if: You're an athlete and want to continue in your sport, especially if the sport involves jumping, cutting or pivoting. More than one ligament is injured. You have a torn meniscus that requires repair.